“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time” (24:45)?

Jesus is calling us to be that “faithful and prudent steward” and the household we are to serve is our own homes, churches, communities, states, countries, and world. For the world is our home and those we serve are our brothers and sisters. Jesus’ call is a universal call to solidarity. We are all united in this effort for and with one another because we are all brothers and sisters created in the same image and likeness of our loving God and Father.

God has created us, not as automatons or robots, or drone worker bees. He has created us as unique persons, one of a kind, distinct wonders that have never been nor will ever be again. While at the same time, we as this gift of diversity is not intended to be separate from one another, but God has created all of us to be interconnected, to be loved and to love. What affects one, affects all. Also, how we treat one another is how we treat Jesus.

Jesus clearly points this point out in his parable, often called the Judgment of the Nations, when he stated: “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me’”(Mt 25: 37-40).

There are many areas to address from Jesus’ articulation of who we are to care for as faithful and prudent stewards, and for the remaining part of this reflection, I will focus on “When did we see you a stranger?” The stranger’s face can be seen in the over 65 million refugees and immigrants who are seeking refuge, safety, basic care and support from war, terrorism, government abuse, gangs, violence, human trafficking and more. Archbishop Thomas Wenski, diocese of Miami, points out that: “These 65 million men, women and children represent the greatest number of displaced persons since the end of World War II” (Wenski).

How do we even begin to address this crisis, including those displaced and dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey? First and foremost, we need to see not numbers, but brothers and sisters in each face, not nations, but fellow human beings in dire need, not ethnicity, race, or religion, but Jesus in the exhausted eyes of each stranger. We need to pray how we can “give a visible demonstration of support for refugees and migrants” (Wenski). As think and pray about how we can help, Pope Francis is leading the way.

On September 27, Pope Francis will be launching a campaign of encounter called “Share the Journey”. Luis Antonio Taglehis, Cardinal Archbishop of Manila and President of Caritas Internationalis, wrote in a letter in late July that the “campaign proposes to look at the migratory phenomenon with “new eyes and an open heart,” to “dissipate the fear” of the people and to “understand why so many people are abandoning their homes,” (Droujinina). The U.S. bishops will be coordinating with “Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services, who have also designated the week of Oct. 7-13 a “week of prayer and action” in order to promote a culture of encounter to counter the culture of indifference” (Wenski).

May we have the humility to begin to confess those wounded areas in our being where we suffer from anxiety and fear, acknowledge that we have been unaware or indifferent, and/or even where we still harbor prejudice, intolerance, or bias. As we are forgiven, as we experience the love and mercy of Jesus, let us draw strength from him, begin to see the dignity present in one another, and begin to take steps to encounter and serve one another as brothers and sisters.

Special thanks to Elena Garcia and Jill Hanson for bringing Archbishop Wenski’s article to my attention, and for Archbishop Wenski’s leadership.

Gospel reading for today:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/083117.cfm

Archbishop Wenski article in full:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/083117.cfm

Marina Droujinina article about launch of Share the Journey Campaign:

https://zenit.org/articles/caritas-pope-to-launch-share-the-journey-campaign/